How did you learn to braid your hair? Did your mom show you how to carefully twist different strands of hair while making sure you don’t have any stragglers? Did you stare at a mirror and figure out this technique on your own? Maybe, you learned from your best friend on the playground during recess.

I learned by watching my mom braid my hair countless times before school, but I remember being frustrated that I could not french braid. There were “how-to” books in our library, but I am a learner that needs to see actual examples. Too bad You Tube wasn’t around in 1995.

The Monday morning after spring break I was filing papers at my desk and watching sleeping students trudge into my room when a bouncing blonde haired student bounded up to my desk. “Mrs. Blalock! Mrs. Blalock! I learned how to braid my own hair. See,” Caroline beamed at me as I admired her post-spring break hair style. “And how did you learn how to do that Caroline?” I asked. “You Tube, hair braiding basics,” was her reply.